Tank



Nov. 20, 1934. R, s, WORTLEY TANK Filed May 14, 195

INVENTOR A TI'ORNEYS Patented Nov. 20, 1 934 TANK Ralph Stuart Wortley, Bedford, N. Y. Application May 14, 1932, Serial No. 611,291

'-1 Claim.

This invention relates to tanks and more particularly to septic tanks.

It has for an object the provision of a tank which can be installed economically and quickly by persons of little skill and which will be of permanent construction and will have the required liquid-tight and air-tight characteristics. It is a feature that the tank construction provided by the present invention places no limitation upon the size of tank that may be installed and, therefore, obviates the need for the utilization of a series of small tanks.

Septic tanks of the prior art have been made either of steel, brick, poured concrete, or precast concrete, the last mentioned type being a one-piece construction. Each of these forms has certain disadvantages. The steel tank is generally short-lived and is difficult to clean. The poured concrete and the brick tanks involve a very high labor cost for their installation. The precast concrete tanks have the advantages that they are very durable and are easy to clean, but have the disadvantages that they are expensive to transport and install because of their size and weight, and the further disadvantage that it is necessary to use a series of these tanks for plants of any substantial size because the maximum size of a single tank is necessarily limited. One large tank is preferable to a series of small tanks because of the saving of labor and material, and because the contents of a large tank remain relatively free from agitation.

In accordance with the present invention the advantages of precast concrete are availed of but the disadvantages referred to above are obviated. To these ends provision is made in accordance with the present invention of a septic tank formed of precast segmental concrete blocks adapted to vbe set up in circular courses and built to any desired height.

It is a feature of the invention that provision is made for keying the adjacent blocks to one another by metallic keys inserted in keyways formed by complementary grooves in the abutting faces of the blocks.

It is a further feature that the keyways are so contrived that a staggered arrangement of the blocks of the successive courses is made com- .pulsory upon the workmen installing the tank, the arrangement being such that each block isnecessarily interlocked with a plurality of blocks of each of the adjacent courses.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2. The parts do not show as being in section because the section is taken between adjacent courses;

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a single block of the kind employed in the tank.

The tank 1 of Figure 2 desirably comprises a poured concrete base 2, a cylindrical wall made up of precast concrete blocks 3, 4 and 5, and a cover composed of precast concrete slabs 6,, 7 and 8. The base may be formed with a circular groove, but preferably it is formed with a flat smooth upper surface and a coating layer is added after the side wall has been put in place. Each of the blocks 3 forms an aliquot part of the circumference of a cylinder, the arcuate extent of a block being determined by the size of the tank to be formed. The blocks are made in sizes which can be conveniently handled. As illustrated, each of the blocks of the side wall extends through a quadrant.

Provision is made for securing each block to adjacent blocks by means of metallic rods or keys 9 and 10 which are adapted to be placed in grooves provided in the preformed blocks. Each block has vertical grooves 11 formed in the end faces thereof. These grooves extend throughout the heights of the blocks. Each block also has grooves 12 of a little more than half the length of a key 9 formed in the top face thereof 4 adjacent the corners, and grooves 13 of substantially the same length as a key 9 formed in the bottom face thereof adjacent the corners.

In erecting the tank upon the base 2, the blocks forming the bottom course are first put in place. Keys 9 are then placed in the grooves 12, each key being located in the aligned grooves 12 of two adjacent blocks; The blocks of the second course are next put in place in such manner that the vertical grooves 11 of adjacent blocks of the second course form keyways communicating with one of the grooves 12 of a block of the lower course beyond the end of the key 9. When the blocks of the second course have been properly placed, keys 10 are inserted in the keyways formed by grooves 11 and drop down into the open, exposed portion of a groove 12. The subsequent courses are successively put in place and keyed in the manner described with reference to the second course.

All of the blocks are of identical shape and size, and all of them may be of the same construction except blocks 4 and 5 of the uppermost course. Block 4 is provided with an opening 14 through which an inlet pipe may be passed, and block 5 is provided with an opening 15 through which an outlet pipe may be passed.

After the top course has been put in place and keyed, the slabs 6, 7 and 8 forming the cover may be put in place. The slab (i is provided with a suitable opening 16 through which access may be had to the interior of the tank for cleaning. The opening 16, however, is normally covered in order to exclude air, the exclusion of air being necessary in order to promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria in the tank for breaking down the solid matter delivered to the tank.

I have described what I believe: to be. the best embodiment of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiment shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A tank formed of moulded segmental blocks arranged in courses, each of said blocks having grooves in its upper and lower surfaces extending to the ends of said blocks, and each of said blocks also having a groove in each end-connecting an upper and a lower surface groove, keys inserted in the surface grooves for locking two blocks of one course to a block of another course, and keys inserted in the end grooves of abutting blocks of one course and projecting into a surface groove ofanother course for locking said courses together.

RALPH STUART WORTLEY. 

